The challenges are endless, the possibilities immeasurable, and the payback divine.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Cheese Glue

The one really nasty part for me about making cheese is the clean-up. Not only are there a lot of pots, utensils, colanders, strainers, molds and cheesecloth... they are incredibly hard to clean if the whey or any of the bits of curd are allowed to dry on them.

Thus I began to wonder about the glue possibilities using cheese, and discovered cheese glue been around for centuries. In fact, casein (milk proteins mixed with lime) is known as the strongest natural glue! The Egyptians used it for furniture joints, and the Romans used it for gluing broken statuary back together.

There is, however, one caveat: Do not use it in damp places. Under prolonged dampness, the glue begins to soften, and smell like very ripe camembert. (It can become a liquid, smelly mess and seep out of the joints if enough moisture is present.)

About Me

This blog has turned into “Living Along the Creek” for my life here now includes much more than just raising healthy vegetables and fruits. I’m learning to cure and preserve meats (from bacon and ham to salumi) and to make many kinds of cheese to round out my homegrown diet.
I have worn many hats in my lifetime; I’ve been a passive solar home-builder, a marketing executive, a garden writer, a medical researcher, renovated houses, raised Arabian horses, and worked in open-heart surgery. I'm interested in far too many things to do a single-topic blog!
My interests include Self-sufficiency; Sustainability; High Brix / Nutrient Dense Foods; growing more of what I eat, eating (and preserving) what I grow. Learning what's good for my body/health, and what isn't.
I'm a Seeker hoping to become a Wise Woman someday.
This blog is not supported by any advertising or special-interest groups.
Contact me: darius at 2footalligator dot com

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